This a short list of the breweries in and around Cologne and the beers
which they brew.

Cologne is not a city not usually associated with beer. Incorrectly, as
it turns out, because not only does it have its own style of beer, but it
is also the only city in Germany to have a sort of 'apellation controlée'.

The style is called Kölsch after the local dialect word
for 'of Cologne'. In 1985 (25.06.1985 to be precise) the German government
and 24 breweries from the Cologne region published the 'Kölsch Convention'.
It was inspired by the attempts - fiercely resisted in Cologne - of outside
brewers to cash in on the popularity of Kölsch. According to the convention,
a beer may only be called Kölsch if it meets the following criteria:

it is brewed in the Cologne metropolitan area

pale in colour

top-fermented

hop-accented

filtered

'vollbier' - 11 - 14% plato

A relative of the altbier brewed in other parts of the rhineland, it is
a survivor from the pre-lager brewing tradition of North Germany. This century,
under pressure from newer, bottom-fermenting beers, it has undergone a good
deal of change. Most notable of these, is the lightening of the colour to
pale yellow, giving it the appearance of a pils. You could call it 'the
ale that wants to be a lager' and I'm sure that would many, in a blind tasting,
would classify it as the latter.

There is little ale character to be found. It has a very soft, rounded character
and can be quite sweet. Bavarian helles and Dortmunder export are closer
relatives in flavour than the altbier brewed in Düsseldorf. Not beers likely
to acquire the devoted and obsessive following that lambik, trappist ale
or a particularly flavoursome bitter might, but of interest as an odd, hybrid
style.

Around 50% of Kölsch is sold on draught, about double the average for
all beer.

Sales of Kölsch (see below) have fallen in recent years, but at a slightly
lower rate than sales of all beer.

Kölsch.
Pepper, basil and butter aroma; bitterish taste with butter, pepper
and hop aromas; bitter finish with pepper and basil.
An excellent hop aroma - it tastes as if its been dry-hopped. Very
lighyt in body, but tasty nonetherless.

Kölsch. Contract brewed for the Schreckenskammer pub. Casks are
filled without added CO2.

In 1974 the Cologne brewery on Tacitusstr. became 100% top-fermenting. In
1983 brewed over 500,000 hl Kölsch. In 1994 bought Brauerei Robert
Metzmacher and their Rats Kölsch. In 1998 bought 80% of Giesler, whose
brewery was shut in 2001. In 2001 moved from Tacitusstr. to the old Küppers
plant on the Alteburgerstr. Now brewing 300,000 hl, 60% draught.

The former Küppers brewery - when the Küppers moved out it was bought by
Dom, who closed their original brewery. Confused?

Kölsch.
Pale yellow colour; tobacco, resin and hop aroma; sweetish/bitterish
taste with tobacco, milk and resin aromas; bitter finish with milk,
tobacco and wet cardboard aromas.
Has a good aroma but a disappointing finish. The assertive hoppiness
is obviosly meant to mimic Päffgen Kölsch. Pity about the
cardboard taste at the end.

Kölsch.
Very pale yellow colour; grass, vanilla and tobacco aroma; sweetish/bitterish
taste with fruit, grass, butter and tobacco aromas; bitterish finish
with grass, butter and tobacco aromas.
Quite a soft, delicately hoppy beer. Better than I expected. A bit
of hop-extract aroma, but not enough to spoil it. Even has a definite
top-fermented touch of fruitiness. (Bottled version tested.)

55

Independent brewery.

Richmodis-Bräu
Weselerstr. 16,
51109 Köln.
Telefon 0221 - 211320

Founded:
Annual production:

Beer

alc

Plato

Description

score (100)

Richmodis Kölsch

4.8%

Kölsch.

Bürger Kölsch

4.8%

Kölsch.

Garde Kölsch

4.8%

Kölsch.

Owned 100% by Gaffel since 1998.

Richmodis moved to a new brewery in Köln Porz in 1993. It's still open
and it seems possible production of Gaffel will move here too.